BATON ROUGE - Today, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announced the opening of the US 61 (Airline Highway) on-ramp to I-10 west in Ascension Parish has been delayed due to complications with the safety barrier.

The project had previously been delayed due to weather throughout August and was expected to be completed by Sept. 8. However, testing showed that the concrete safety barrier did not meet strength requirements. The barrier is in place as a safety precaution to prevent serious injury or death should a vehicle hit it. Because the barrier does not meet the strength requirements to ensure proper function, the barrier will have to be taken down, re-poured and re-tested before it will be open.

“While this closure is an inconvenience for those who use this on-ramp to get onto I-10 west, it is important to note that safety is the department’s main concern,” said Mike Vosburg, Chief of the Construction Division at DOTD. “All of our projects have to meet state and federal standards and are inspected and tested before being open to the traveling public. In this case, the safety barrier did not meet those standards. The contractor will have to take this barrier down and re-pour a new barrier.”

DOTD appreciates the public’s patience and reminds drivers to please exercise caution when traveling through work zone areas and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.

Motorists can access the latest updates on real-time traffic and road conditions using the 511 Traveler Information System by downloading the 511la app to a smartphone, vising 511la.org or dialing 511 from their telephone and saying the route or region about which they are seeking information.